


First and Last

by archaeologist_d



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon, Gen, M/M, Major character death - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4213545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archaeologist_d/pseuds/archaeologist_d
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin remembers the first and last time he saw Arthur's face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First and Last

The first time he saw Arthur, he wanted to punch him in his arrogant face. Acting like the prat he was, mocking those around him, as entitled and cocky as any bully with power over others. Merlin had seen it often enough; the weaker ones would pay the price for a fist backed with steel. He wanted to take the supercilious arse down a peg or two, make the clotpoll pay for raw conceit. Merlin had magic enough of his own to do it but he'd ended up as powerless as those Arthur mocked. A dungeon stay was his reward.

The last time Merlin saw Arthur, he wanted to kiss the pain away. His king, the bully long gone, still smug at times but so very much loved, asking Merlin to hold him; he would have done anything, everything to save him but his magic was useless. All he could do was beg Arthur to stay, plead with him to hang on just a while longer. In the end, one final breath and then only silence. Devotion, love, a thousand sacrifices, it had all been for nothing. His reward - an eternity of knowing that he had failed his beloved king.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; It and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.


End file.
